Smilla Sundell Opens Up on Her Move to Fairtex Gym, Credits Stamp Fairtex As the Key Reason
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Reigning ONE Strawweight Muay Thai World Champion Smilla ‘The Hurricane’ Sundell is set to make her return to the Singapore Indoor Stadium, defending her gold and solidifying her reputation as the planet’s most dangerous teenager.
At ONE Fight Night 14: Stamp vs. Ham on Prime Video, the Swedish sensation will face off against challenger and atomweight strawweight queen Ayllycia Hellen Rodrigues, scheduled for this Friday, September 29, in live U.S. primetime.
Smilla Sundell says Stamp Fairtex is the key reason for her moving to Fairtex gym
This upcoming bout marks Sundell’s first title defense since her historic victory in April 2022, when she became the youngest-ever ONE World Champion with a dominant five-round performance against American standout Jackie Buntan. ‘The Hurricane’ is well on her way to achieving greatness, and she credits her journey to the pinnacle of Muay Thai to the inspiration she drew from global superstar and former two-sport ONE World Champion Stamp Fairtex.
Sundell explained how she was inspired by Stamp’s unforgettable 2019 World Title victory over Alma Juniku: “When I saw Stamp defending the [ONE Women’s Atomweight Muay Thai World Title] against Alma Juniku, we were eating dinner and watching that fight. Just seeing that fight, I was like, ‘Wow, I want to do that too.” Fast forward four years, and the 18-year-old champion is set to feature in the co-main event of one of the biggest cards of the year, headlined by Stamp herself. In the main event, Stamp will attempt to make history by aiming for three-sport glory as she faces Ham Seo Hee for the ONE Interim Atomweight MMA World Title.
As both women aim to solidify their status as top combat sports athletes on the global stage, one can’t help but wonder if Sundell would have reached this position, competing on ONE’s massive global platform with a World Title on the line, without the inspiration of Stamp. ‘The Hurricane’ reminisced about how the Thai icon led her to the renowned Fairtex Training Center in Pattaya, Thailand. She said: “I was training in Ko Samui, an island down south [in Thailand]. I trained there for three years, but I lacked opponents and had to move. Stamp has been a big inspiration for me all these years. That’s why I moved to Fairtex, because I saw that she made it, and I wanted to do the same.”
After Muay Thai Triumph, the teenage prodigy is eyeing two-sport glory
Having already secured the strawweight Muay Thai gold, Sundell now has her sights set on claiming a kickboxing title in the same division. She showcased her prowess in kickboxing at ONE Friday Fights 18 this past May, where she secured a unanimous decision victory against Milana Bjelogrlic.
Before she competes for a World Title in another sport, she will have the opportunity to accomplish something Stamp couldn’t – defeating Allycia Hellen Rodrigues in a Muay Thai battle.
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